Recording and reproducing machine



Feb. 16 ,1926.

T. L. DOWEY RECORDING AND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed Dep.

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. in part pointed out Patented Feb. 16,1926. Q

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rnouas 1'1. Downy, or 'nnwanx, New JERSEY,- assrenon r0. WESTEBN'ELEGTBIG COMPANY, INCOBPORQIED, OF- NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK.

- BECOBDING AND BEPBODUCING IACHINE.

' application fled December 19, 1923. Seria1 No. 680,168.

To all whom it-ma'y concern:

Be it'known that I, THOMAS L. Down, a subject of the King of Great Britain, re-

siding at Newark, in the county of Essex.

and State of New J ersey,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Recording and Reproducing. Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description. v This invention relates to the 7 recording and reproducing of sound vibrations and more especially to an arrangement particularly adaptable for-use inv connection with motion pictureapparatus. 4

An object ofthe invention is the continuous'recording or continuous reproducing of sound vibrations without. any appreciable notice of the change from one record to another. Other objects will be in'part. obvious and I in the description which is to follow. 1

' present invention contemplates-the provision of a plurality ofsound reproducing and 7 recording machines with mechanism forchanging automatically from one to another so that when one record has been completed, its record support will be stopped and the. record support of theother machine set in motion. By such an. arrangement. continuous reproducin or recording resultsiwithout any appreciable interval-or overlapping in the transition from one record to another. More specifically, the invention provides a --pair of record su ports for receiving records either for repro ucing or recording poses. Each of the record supports is rotated byjpowerderived from a continuously running motor through suitable gearsand has "associated therewith an' electrical reproducer or recorder. In order that the record support-of .on'eof the reproducer's' or recorders will be set in motion just prior to the completion of the record carried by the recordsup ort of the other reproducer f or recorder-an the reproducersor recorders.

1 renderedjdperative at the proper moment,

segments will'be rotated in accordance wit the rotation of the record supports for renmechanism 18 provided'whereby a set of disc's; shaft 27. comprising conducting and non-'conduct' which hasa notch 36 arranged Referring now' to the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2s a detail-ofthe mechanism of Fig.

1 showing the arrangement of the advancing mechanism.

Fig. 3 is another view of the mechanism of Fig. 2 shown in a'diflferent position. v

Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically the,

supports 9 and lOhaving arranged thereon records 11 and 12 respectively which may be either'a blank record which has not previously been cut or a record on which has been recorded) various sound vibrations.

' Each of the record supports or turn tables 9 and 10 is driven by power communicated In accordance with the above objects, the;

from a continuously running motor 8 through suitable gearing mechanism.

The mechanism for communicating the power of the motor 8 to the turntable 9 comprises a worm gear 13 whichis secured to the shaft of the motor 8 and a gear 14.- carried by a shaft-15. Also mounted on the shaft 15 is a pair of. collector rings 16 and 17 and an arm 18 at the free endof which there is 'mountedan electromagnet 19.

.When the electromagnet 19 is energized it The turntable 10 islikewise driven by the power. of the continuously. runnin motor 8 through aworm gear 25 which mes es with the'teeth of a gear 26 carried by shaft 27. Mounted on the shaft 27-;and rotatable therewith is an arm 30 which carries at its free end electromagnet 31. This electromagnet 31 when energized, causesits core to engage -a rojection 32 carried on the under side- 0 the turn table .10. As in the case of the turn table 9, a pair of collector. rings 28 and 29- is also secured to Alsosecured'to the shaft 15 is a disc 35 on 1 riphery. On each side of and d integral with or attached to the For each rotation of the 35, thenotch the notch 36 are single teeth which maybe 36 engages the teeth of .a pinion 37 which is carried by a shaft 38 on which there is arranged a plurality of similar pinions 42, 5O

. and 59, each of which is free to rotate on shaft tation of pinion 37 thereby causing one of to it.

the long teeth of pinion 37 to fall into the notch 36 on the disc 35, and also causing rotation ofgear 39. When the second single tooth defining the notch 36 has passed by, the long tooth which has been in contact with the notch 36 is disengaged from the notch 36 and the pinion 37 is thereby locked against further rotation during that revolution. The rotation of gear 39 caused by this action comprises an amount or a distance equivalent to two teeth. The teeth of the pinions are prevented from engaging the teeth of the associated gears due to the longer tooth riding on the periphery of the disc. The relation of the notch 36 to the pinion 37 is shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. It is thus seen that for each rotation of the disc 35, the gear 39 with its shaft 40 will be rotated through an angle dependent upon the number of teeth carried by the gear 39. In the case of the standard twelve inch record, approximately 400 revolutions thereof is required for completing the record and it was therefore necessary to properly determine the number of teeth on the gear 39 to give the desired result, Accordingly forty teeth are arranged on the gear 39 which will be rotated a distance equal to two teeth for each rotation of the disc 35.

Also carried by the shaft 40 are three similar discs 41, 47 and 57 having notches 44, 49 and 58 respectively, which engages the teeth of one of the three pinions 42, and 59 on each revolution. vEach of the pinions 42, 50 and 59 also meshes with one of the three gears 43, 51 and 60, which are mounted on the shaft 40 and can be rotated relatively Each of the gears 43, 51 and carries teeth and for each revolution of the discs 41, 47 and 57 the gears 43, 51 and 76 will be rotated through a distance equal to the space of two teeth. The disc 35 must make 20 revolutions to each revolution of the shaft 40 and the discs39, 41 47, and 57 must make 40 revolutions to each complete revolution of the gears 43, 51, and 60 respectively. Therefore, for onerevolution of any of these gears 800 revolutionsof the will he required. 7

Attached to and rotatable with the gear 43 is a disc 46 composed of conducting and insulating portigns which has two'pairs of disc 35 or the record support in operation brushes 64, 65, 66 and 67 arranged diametrically opposite each other. These pairs of brushes control the energization of a relay 68, through the contacts of which electrical reproducers or recorders-77 and 78 associated with the turn tables 9and 10* respectively,

are connected with the amplifier 79 through a suitable transformer 80. The function and direction of the amplifier 79 will of course, depend upon whether the machines are being used for the purpose of recording or reproducing. Obviously, however, the mechanism is suitable for either type of operation.

Now in order that the record supports or turn tables will be started and stopped at the proper time, there is mounted on the shaft 40 a disc 47 which like discs 35 and 41 has arranged in its periphery a single notch 49. Likewise this notch on each revolution engages the teeth of pinion 50 which extends between the disc 46 and a gear 51 having a number of teeth corresponding to that of gear 43.

to the notch 44 carried by the disc 41. The purpose of this angular displacement is to cause the rotation of a disc 56 having conducting and non-conducting portions slightly in advance of the rotation of the disc 46. Following the disc 56 is a disc 57 having a notch 58 arranged in its periphery. The rotation of the disc 57 is transmitted to a disc 61 through a pinion 59 and a gear 60 secured to the disc 61 which, like discs 46 and 56, has conducting and non-conducting portions. The notch 58 arranged in the disc 57 as shown in Fig. 1 has an angular position with respect to the notch 49 so that the gear 60 will be rotated priorto the rotation of the gear 51. It should be noted that the showing of the respective gears and pinions is merely diagrammatic.

Assuming now that the turn table 9 is rotating and the stylus associated with the reproducer or recorder 77 is nearing the end of the, record 11. On the 399th revolution, the disc 46 will he inv the position shown in A of Fig.4. As shown in this figure, the brushes 64 and. 65- are on conducting segments, while the brushes 66 and 67 still engage the non-conducting portion of the disc. Consequently, the circuit of the relay 68 is completed for connecting the amplifier 79 to the electricalreproducer or recorder 77. Looking for a moment at discs 56 and 61 shown at A' in Fig. 4, the brushes 69 and 7t) ,g echagism previ'gusly described, It-is seen,

It is to be noted, however, a that the notch 49 is staggered with respecthowever; that with respect to the disc 61,

the brushes 73 and 74 are on the non-conducting portion of the disc, while the brushes 75 and 7 6 have just engaged the conducting portion of the disc. With these brushes 75 and 76 on the conducting portion of the disc 61, a eircuitis completed extending from one pole of battery, upper brush collector ring 29, winding of the electromagnet 31, collector ring 28,v and lower brush thereof, brush 75, conducting portion of the disc 61, brush 76 to the opposite pole of the battery. The electromagnet 31 will thus be energized over the circuit just traced and will cause themovement of its solenoid to-engage the projection 32 carried on the under side of theturn'table 10.. The turn table 10 will now be rotated by power derived from the motor 8. It 'is to be noted that both'turn tables 9 and 10 are now rotating although but one of the reproducers or recorders is operating.

Inasmuch as the .pitch diameters of the discs which mesh with the pinions 37, 42, 50, and 59 are the same as the pitch diameters of the gears which mesh with these pinions, these gears at the moment when as previously explained they rotate by an amount corresponding to two teeth,.will do so at the same instantaneous velocity as the disc or the record support in operation. Such an arrangement permits the maintenance of very accurate relations between the ending of one record and the beginning. of the next, The use of such a mechanism also provides a progressive action from one disc to another thereby insuring the most satisfactory results.

It should also be noted that the contact adjustment of the relay 68 may be made such that there is either overlap or break of a few thousandthsof a second, as preferred. With such an arrangement the connection and disconnection of the recorder or reproducer at the proper moment may be adjusted to take care of slight inaccuracies 1n the conducting. and non-conducting discs.

Referrin for the moment to part B of Fig. 4, it s ows the position of-the respective discs on the 400th revolution. It will be seen that the brushes 64 and 65 associated with the disc 46 are now on the non-conducting portion while the brushes 66 and are on the conducting portion of the isc.

Consequently, relay 68 is energized for closing its right hand contact and opening its, left hand contact, thereby disconmeeting the amplifier 79 from the reproducer or recorder '77 and connecting it with the rep'roducer .orrecorder 78. Sound vibrations are now being reproduced or recorded on the record 12 while the reproducer 77 is rendered ine'fiective. The disc 56 is still in the same-position it was in at the last revolution and therefore the turn-table 9 continues to be rotated. As shown in B of Fig. 4, the disc 61 also does not. move as it can do so only once for each revolution of the disc 57 and this in turn requires 20 revolutions of the disc 35 and the record support in operation. Consequently, the circuit of the electromagnet 31 is still complete and the turn-table 10 continues to be rotated.

The positions of the respective discs .on the 401st revolution are shown at C oi Fig. 3. The disc 46 has not movedfor the same reason as given above in connection with disc 61, hence the reproducer or recorder 77 continues inefiective and the re- .producer or recorder 78 operative from the amplifier 79.

The disc 56 on the 401st revolution will have moved into a position such that the brushes 69 and 70 engage the non-conducting portion of the disc, while the brushes 71 and 72 engage 'fact that the brushes 69 and 70 associated with the disc 56 and the brushes 73 and 74 of the disc 61 are of non-conducting portions of their respective discs. quently, the magnet 19 is deenergized, whereupon its solenoidis withdrawn from engagement with the projection 20 on the under side of the turn table 9 so that this turn table no longer rotates. At this time, as already described a circuit of the electromagnet 31 of the turn table 10 is completed through both pairs of brushes 71, 72, 75 and 76. Such a condition will exist until the record support 9 has been rotated through 398 revolutions when the cycle of operation just described will again be followed. Under such conditions the reproducer or recorder 78 will be rendered ineffective and the record support 10 stopped, while the reproducer or recorder 77 will .be rendered operative and the record support 9 again set in rotation. It is, of course, necessary for thesatistactory operation of the mechanism that the record be marked so as to always lie on support in the same position relative to it.

Although the invention has been disclosed and described with reference to a particular mechanism, it is of course, obvious that the various modifications may be .made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is: 1. In a phonographic apparatus including record supporting and driving means and a plurality of electrical reeorder-reproducers adapted to be brought into operation in succession, a common translating device, a switching arrangement for connecting s id Conse- 2. In a' phonographic apparatus including.

record supporting and driving means and a plurality of electrical recorder-reproducer's adapted to be brought into operation in succession, a common translating devicega switching arrangement for connecting said recorder-reproducersone at a time to said translating device comprising a commutator and brushes, controlling means rotating at a lesser rate than said record supporting means for bringing said commutator and brushes into position to shift the circuit of said recorder-reproducers only upon completion of a predetermined number of revolutions of said record supporting means, and means having an instantaneous speed of the same order as the peripheral speed of the record for causing said commutator and brushes to shift said circuit from one recorder-reproducer to another. I V

3. In a phonographic apparatus including record supporting and driving means and a plurality of electrical recorder-reproducers adapted to be brought intooperation in succession, a common translating device, a switching arrangement for connecting said recorder-reproducers one at a time to said translating device comprising commutator and brushes, controlling means rotating at a lesser rate than said record supportmeans having instantaneous speed of the same order as the peripheral speed of the record for causing sald commutator and brushes to shift the circuit from one recorder-reproducer to another.

4. In sound recorder-reproducer a paratus including a plurality of recor porting and driving means and a corresponding plurality of electrical recorderreproducer means, a controller for starting the individual record supporting means into rotation and for controlling the circuits of the individual recorder-reproducers' comprising a plurality of rotatable discs having conducting and non-conducting segments, brushes bearing on said discs and connected in the respective circuits to be controlled, and driving means for, said discs connected by a reduction gearing to the record driving means and arranged to impart a step-bystep movement to said discs to advance them at a reduced speed compared with the speed of the record driving means to the point where the brushes are about to move to or from-a conducting segment of the respective disc, and to advance the respective disc at a more rapid rate during the transit of the brushes to or from such segment.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe sup- 7 my name this 7th day of December, A. D.

THOMAS L. DOWEY. 

